Vital Signs Chart: Service-Sector Expanding

Service-sector activity is gaining momentum. An index of activity in nonmanufacturing industries — a broad barometer of the service sector — increased to 55.1 in September from 53.7 a month earlier. Any reading over 50 indicates expansion, so activity was expanding at faster rate last month. A measure of orders — a gauge of future activity — also expanded at a faster clip.

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